Breeding scheme helping endangered potoroos

Western Australia's Department of Environment and Conservation says the survival chances of the Gilbert's potoroo have been maximised by a breeding and relocation program.

The critically endangered marsupials were thought to be extinct until a small population was found on the south coast at Two People's Bay in 1994.

The department's Tony Friend says work is progressing on a relocation plan, with a number of potoroos expected to be moved into a 380 hectare enclosure in the Waychinicup National Park within the next few months.

Dr Friend says the relocation project is working in conjunction with a breeding program at Bald Island.

"We'll have this basically breeding colony over here, which is relocating animals onto the mainland and we've got one area already that's all ready for release over there," he said.

"So once that's done, we're well on the way to having three populations instead of just the one. The danger of extinction through a fire on the mainland is becoming less and less."